Apparatus for feeding sheet using retractable edge guide for guiding lateral edge of sheet

Abstract

An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet is disclosed that includes: a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet to be fed is to be loaded; a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along a feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; and a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis perpendicular to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced to a selected one of a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position,

1. An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet, comprising:
 a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, as a result of a pivotal movement of the feeder tray relative to the processing device about a line perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheet to be fed to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet is to be loaded; 
 a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along the feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; 
 a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis parallel to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced between a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position; and 
 a holding mechanism holding each of the edge guides in the standing position, with the feeder tray being in the unfolded position, 
 wherein the holding mechanism elastically biases each of the edge guides toward the standing position, to thereby allow the each edge guide to return to the standing position in timed relation with displacement of the feeder tray from the retracted position to the unfolded position. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism holds each of the edge guides in the standing position, using a friction applied to the each edge guide, with the feeder tray being in the unfolded position. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a tilting mechanism tilting each of the edge guides from the standing position to the inclined position through pivotal movement of the each edge guide in timed relation with displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the tilting mechanism tilts each of the edge guides from the standing position to the inclined position through the pivotal movement, using a reaction force applied from the processing device to the each edge guide upon abutting of the each edge guide against the processing device, in timed relation with displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a moving body disposed at the feeder tray for connecting each of the edge guides to the feeder tray, the moving body being movable in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction relative to the feeder tray, the each edge guide and the corresponding moving body being formed separately from and rotatably connected with each other at a position located above the sheet-loaded plane. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting device is located in the vicinity of the sheet-loaded plane. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the supporting device includes: a shaft disposed at a selected one of each of the edge guides and the corresponding moving body, and extending parallel to the feeding direction; and a bearing device disposed at a remainder of the each edge guide and the corresponding moving body, and supporting the shaft rotatably. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the bearing device includes a pair of bearings, the shaft includes a pair of ends projecting from both end faces of each of the edge guides opposed to each other in the feeding direction, the shaft is rotatably supported at the pair of projecting ends thereof by the pair of bearings. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a holder holding each of the edge guides in a selected one of the standing position and the inclined position, wherein each of the edge guides is positioned in the standing position with the feeder tray being in the unfolded position, while each of the edge guides is pivoted to the inclined position upon displacement of the feeder tray to the retracted position. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the holder includes a pivotal-direction limiter limiting an allowed pivotal direction of each of the edge guides to a predetermined unilateral direction from the standing position. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the pivotal-direction limiter is disposed at a corresponding one of the edge guides. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the pivotal-direction limiter includes a bend to a corresponding one of the edge guides, disposed at a base end of the corresponding edge guide, and extending away from a corresponding one of the side walls. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the edge guide is pivoted between the standing position and the inclined position in timed relation with motion of the feeder tray between the retracted position and the unfolded position. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the edge guides is pivoted to the inclined position upon abutting of the each edge guide against the processing device during displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising a translating mechanism translating a reaction force applied to each of the edge guides from the processing device upon abutting of the each edge guide against the processing device, into a moment causing the each edge guide to pivot. 
   
   
     16. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the processing device includes an abutting surface which each of the edge guides abuts during displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position, the abutting surface having a profile allowing an application to the each edge guide a force causing the each edge guide to pivot, through abutting of the each edge guide against the abutting surface. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising a friction reduction mechanism reducing a friction developed between each of the edge guides and the processing device, with the each edge guide and the processing device being in contact with each other. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism biasing each of the edge guides toward the standing position. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the biasing mechanism includes a spring member. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the edge guides is pivoted between the standing position and the inclined position depending on a manual operation independent of a motion of the feeder tray between the retracted position and the unfolded position. 
   
   
     21. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising an auxiliary tray slidable parallel to the feeding direction relative to the feeder tray, and displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an extended position, each of the edge guides being pivoted from the inclined position to the standing position in timed relation with a manual sliding motion of the auxiliary tray from the retracted position to the extended position relative to the feeder tray. 
   
   
     22. The apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising a biasing mechanism biasing each of the edge guides toward the standing position, wherein each of the edge guides includes a base end at which an engaging projection is formed at a position away from the pivot axis,
 wherein the engaging projection is disposed to be engageable with the auxiliary tray in the retracted position through a hole formed at the sheet-loaded plane, 
 and wherein the engaging projection is moved away from the auxiliary tray upon a sliding motion of the auxiliary tray from the retracted position to the extended position, to thereby allow each of the edge guides to pivot to the standing position by a biasing force provided by the biasing mechanism, while the engaging projection is brought into engagement with the auxiliary tray upon a sliding motion of the auxiliary tray of the extended position to the retracted position, to thereby hold the each edge guide in the inclined position. 
 
   
   
     23. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge guides are independent of each other in pivoting between the standing position and the inclined position. 
   
   
     24. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separation feeding mechanism separating sheets stacked on the sheet-loaded plane of the feeder tray, to thereby feed individual sheets one by one. 
   
   
     25. An apparatus for forming an image on the sheet fed from the apparatus for feeding a sheet set forth in  claim 1 . 
   
   
     26. An apparatus for forming an image using a removable process cartridge incorporating a developer developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor, comprising the apparatus for feeding a sheet set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the feeder tray of the apparatus for feeding a sheet is displaceable in a direction allowing the process cartridge to be attached to and removed from the apparatus for forming an image. 
   
   
     27. An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet, comprising:
 a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet to be fed to the processing device is to be loaded; 
 a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along the feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; 
 a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis parallel to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced to a selected one of a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position; and 
 a roller attached rotatably to a portion of each of the each of the edge guides which is to be brought into contact with the processing device, 
 wherein the roller allows each edge guide to be pivoted to the inclined position upon abutting of each edge guide against the processing device during displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
 
   
   
     28. An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet, comprising:
 a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, as a result of a pivotal movement of the feeder tray relative to the processing device about a line perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheet to be fed to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet to be fed to the processing device is to be loaded; 
 an auxiliary tray slidable parallel to a feeding direction of the sheet relative to the feeder tray and displaceable to a selected one of an extended and non-extended position; 
 a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along the feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; and 
 a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis parallel to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced to a selected one of a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position, 
 wherein each of the edge guides is pivoted between the standing position and the inclined position in timed relation with motion of the feeder tray between the retracted position and the unfolded position. 
 
   
   
     29. The apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein each of the edge guides is pivoted to the inclined position upon abutting of the each edge guide against the processing device during displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
   
   
     30. The apparatus according to  claim 29 , further comprising a friction reduction mechanism reducing a friction developed between each of the edge guides and the processing device, with the each edge guide and the processing device being in contact with each other. 
   
   
     31. The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the friction reduction mechanism includes a roller attached rotatably to a portion of each of the each of the edge guides which is to be brought into contact with the processing device. 
   
   
     32. An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet, comprising:
 a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, as a result of a pivotal movement of the feeder tray relative to the processing device about a line perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheet to be fed to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet is to be loaded; 
 a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along the feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; 
 a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis parallel to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced between a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position; and 
 a tilting mechanism tilting each of the edge guides from the standing position to the inclined position through pivotal movement of the each edge guide in timed relation with displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
 
   
   
     33. The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the tilting mechanism tilts each of the edge guides from the standing position to the inclined position through the pivotal movement, using a reaction force applied from the processing device to the each edge guide upon abutting of the each edge guide against the processing device, in timed relation with displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position. 
   
   
     34. The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the pair of edge guides, when placed in the standing position, are opposed to each other in a width-wise direction of the sheet, and
 the tilting mechanism, in response to displacement of the feeder tray from the unfolded position to the retracted position, operates to tilt the pair of edge guides from the standing position to the inclined position, in only a direction allowing the pair of edge guides to move toward each other.